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(No Model.)

J. B. SMITH. PENCIL CASE.'

No. 480,479. Patented Aug. Q, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO EITWARD TODD da CO., OF NEWYORK, N. Y.

PENCIL-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,479, dated August9, 1892.

Application filed April 23, 1892.

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JAMES B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Pencil-Cases; and I dodeclare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to extensible pencils, and also to a case or sheathfor holding the same to enable them to be conveniently carried in thepocket or suspended from a Watchchain or cord.

Heretofore extensible pencils have been provided with some mechanism forextending them or for bringing out the tip, and such pencils have beenheld in cases or sheaths having resilient sides or containing aresilient lining to receive and clasp the outside of the pencil whenthrust into the case. My invention aims to provide a pencil composed ofsections sliding one within the other, like the joints ot a telescope,which can be readily drawn out or shut up at will; and my invention alsoincludes a case for a telescopic pencil, pen, or the like, arranged toclasp only the tip of the pencil, so that when the pencil is drawn outof the case it is at the same time extended to its full length, the tipbeing held with sufficient firmness to resist the friction of thesliding joints of the pencil, and being thereby the last portion of thepencil to be released from the case. I accomplish this by placing theclamp for the tip portion in the center of and concentric with the caseand small enough in diameter to enter the first joint of the pencil, sothat not only the first, but all the joints will slide down over andinclose the clamp when the pencil is thrust into the case.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of a pencil-casecontaining my improvement, the clamp being shown partly in section andthe pencil being shown partly extended and also partlyin section. Fig. 2shows Serial No. 430.396. (No model.)

the clamp in full lines and the pencil and case in dotted lines, andFig. 3 shows a modification.

The body A of the case may be of any suitable material and ornamented inany desired manner. I t is shown as provided with a yoke a and a ring afor attaching it to a Watchchain; but these are not essential. Itsinterior may be either cylindrical or polygonal to correspond with theshape of the pencil. One end of the body is closed,and secured to thisend is the clamp B, consisting of a tube arranged concentric with thewalls of the body 1A. The clamp is slotted longitudinally at or near itsupper end and the material between the slots b is slightly bentinward,so as to contract the cross-area of the throat of the tube. The end ofthe tube is preferably strengthened by the collar b.

The pencil C is composed ot several telescopic joints c c c2, &c.,theouter of which is adapted to fit snugly into the body A. The tip portionc has a shoulder c6, below which is a small portion c7, made slightlylarger than the contracted throat of the clamp B, so as to fit tightlytherein. The inner diameter of the iirst joint c is large enough topermit it to slip down over the clamp, so that when the pencil is shutinto the case the annular space around the clamp will be occupied by theseveral nested joints, as indicated in Fig. 2. The several joints areprevented from separating by the internal collar c8 on a larger jointengaging with the external collar o9 of the next smaller joint. Thejoints slide so stiftly on each other that the friction is quitesufficient to keep the pencil extended when drawn out. The severalsections are made of thin metal. and the absence of all internalmechanism for extending the pencil renders it light and easy to handle.The tip portion c c7 is provided with the usual leadpropelling devices,which need not be described.

The modification shown in Fig. 3 differs from the clamp shown in Figs. land 2 only in that the upper end of the tube is the narrowest part,Whereas in Fig. l and 2 the narrowest part is a little below the upperend.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

l. A case for telescopic pencils and the like, consisting of a bodycontaining a clamp for the tip portion of the pencil, said clamp beingsecured in the center of the body so as to leave around it an annularspace for the joints of the pencil, substantially as described.

2. A case for telescopic pencils, consisting of a body containing aclamp for the tip portion of the pencil, said clamp consisting of a tubehaving resilient sides arranged centrally in the body with an annularspace around it to receive the other portions of the pencil,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the body A, of a clamp B, consisting of a tubesecured centrally in the body at one end and having its other endslotted longitudinally and slightly contracted, said tube having anannular space around it, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the body A, of the tube B, securedconcentrically therein, having at one end the slots b and the collar b',the material between the slots being slightly contracted, said tubehaving an annular space around it, substantially as described.

5. An extensible pencil composed solely of several telescopic joints,substantially as described.

6. An extensible pencil composed solely of the several telescopic jointsc c o2, &c., sliding stiftly on each other, the tip portion beingprovided with lead-propelling devices, substantially as described.

7. An extensible pencil comprising the telescopic joints o c c2, &c.,provided with internal collars c8 and external collars e9, substantiallyas described.

8. The combination, with an extensible pencil composed of telescopicjoints, of a clamp adapted to engage with the tip portion of saidpencil, whereby the pencil will be extended before the clamp releasessaid portion, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with an extensible pencil composed of telescopicjoin'ts,of a case for receiving said joints and a clamp attached to saidcase for engaging the tip portion of said pencil, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES B. SMITH.

Witnesses: j

HAROLD SWAIN, AMBRosE G. TODD.

